English Premiership
WBA late-show seals win
2010-08-21 19:23
West Bromwich - Nigerian international striker Peter Odemwingie scored on his debut
for West Brom here on Saturday to give the Premier League newboys a 1-0
win over Sunderland and erase memories of their opening 6-0 thrashing by
champions Chelsea.
The 29-year-old Uzbekistan-born forward -
whose father is Nigerian and his mother Russian - only signed on Friday
but was thrown into the action immediately by West Brom manager Roberto
di Matteo and repaid an immediate return on the investment with the only
goal in the 81st minute.
He hadn't taken long to make an
impression, taking aim in the seventh minute from inside the penalty
area only for his shot to go wide.
West Brom had all of the play
in the opening 20 minutes with James Morrison also firing at goal only
to see his shot go wide of the left post while Chris Brunt celebrated
his 250th appearance for the club by being booked in the 18th minute for
a tackle on Jordan Henderson.
Brunt, though, made a more positive
contribution on the half hour mark as the 25-year-old Northern Irish
winger produced a spectacular overhead kick but it failed to trouble the
Sunderland 'keeper Simon Mignolet as it went over the bar.
The
visitors had their first attempt at goal only in the 48th minute as
England striker Darren Bent got in a header from Henderson's free kick
but it went wide of the right hand post.
Black Cats manager Steve
Bruce tried to inject some more urgency into his side when he made two
substitutions in the 66th minute bringing on Dutch veteran Boudewijn
Zenden and on loan Manchester United striker Danny Welbeck for Ahmed
Elmohamady.
Zenden showed he still has spring in his step and a
certain amount of winger style trickery in getting in a great cross in
the 77th minute which fell to Nedum Onuoha but his shot was gathered
safely by former England goalkeeper Scott Carson.
However, it was
the hosts that got a deserved lead when Morrison's slide rule pass found
Odemwingie and the former Lille forward showed why di Matteo pursued
him by slotting it past Mignolet.
The Baggies went desperately
close to doubling their lead shortly afterwards as the impressive Brunt
fired in a long range effort that beat Mignolet but hit the bar and
rebounded to safety.